Victims of food stamp theft will continue to be reimbursed through December 20

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Over 2,600 Oklahoma families have had their food stamps stolen in the last year, according to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.

Through federal funding, victims have been able to get reimbursed, however, that was set to expire on Monday, September 30.

Thanks to a provision in a stop-gap funding bill secured by a bipartisan group of lawmakers the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives.

This comes as a relief for many Oklahomans who have fallen victim to the scam, including Hope Hansen, a 24-year-old living with William's Syndrome. She relies on $237 a month in SNAP benefits.

"People with disabilities need food, they need food to survive, to live, to strive, to get the nutrients and everything in their bodies," said Hansen.

When Hansen went to pay for her groceries, her card was declined. She learned her account had been drained by a scammer in New York.

"It was pretty embarrassing because I got a lot of food that day and I had to leave it there and I was just shaking my head, as I was walking out," said Hansen.

The same scam has affected several News 4 viewers over the past two years.

News 4 asked Oklahoma Human Services why out-of-state transactions can't be blocked and they say, under federal rules, SNAP cards must be able to be used between states.

The agency continues to encourage clients to protect their benefits:

• Use hard to guess PINs.
• Use the ConnectEBT app to lock your card between purchases.
• Don’t share your card information with anyone.
• Don’t respond to text or calls asking for your card information.
• Check card readers for tampering before swiping your SNAP card.

The agency is also working toward chip cards for the SNAP program that will add even more protection, but they won't be released until Summer 2025.

If you are a victim of stolen SNAP benefits, click here.